Page 20 of A Hood Wife And A Rich Goon

Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted old man Whistler on his back porch, and the pungent aroma of his weed struck the air. A bottle of Marek Reserve sat on the table, and he gripped a filled glass.

“What’s good, Whistler?” Eazy leaned against the fence and chucked his chin at him in greeting.

“This weed for one,” he said, inhaling with a laugh and examining his joint. “Been a long time since you pulled up around here. Still got hoes driving by looking for you.”

“No shit? Good dick lives rent free in a bitch’s head.”

“Fucking right. A bitch will forget everything but a nigga that fucked her good.” Whistler coughed from his last inhale. Eazy chuckled and shook his head. “I tell ’em to send they mamas and aunties this way. Only the ones with strong jaws and good knees, though.”

“You a fucking fool!” Eazy hollered.

“Stay out of trouble,” Whistler warned, finally looking him in the eye. “Summit and Taci need you around here.”

Eazy nodded and pushed himself off the fence so he could go check on his people.

“I’ll see you around, old man.”

“I might be old, but this dick still twenty-five,” Whistler joked.

Approaching the main door, he saw that it was open through the storm screen door. It was normal for his grandparents to be lackadaisical like this with their security. Neither of them ever worried about a motherfucker running up in their home. There were plenty of times as a kid when him and his homies would blow in and out of this door. Summit and Taci stayed cursing them out.

“Eazy!” Essence squealed when she spotted him stepping into the house.

She took in his muscular frame, and her full lips widened into a smile before she threw her arms around him. Holding her back, he gave her a squeeze and inhaled her Marc Jacobs perfume.

“What’s up, E.” He couldn’t help but smile and try to catch his breath since she wouldn’t let him go.

“What are you doing here?” Finally nudging away, she swatted his chest and looked him over in his denim jeans and V-neck shirt with his signature leather over his back.

“Got a new gig over at the Hellum Gallery.”

“Are you for real?” Essence was surprised.

“Yeah.”

“So, you’re here to stay?” she pried, looping her arm through his and tugging him into the kitchen.

“Something like that.” He swiped his beard.

“I just finished dinner. There’s some fried chicken and fish, spaghetti, and potato salad. Have a seat.” She tossed the dish towel in her hand over her shoulder and nodded to one of the four old school diner style chairs at the matching square embossed glass top table.

Eazy slid his leather jacket off and placed it on the back of one of the chairs before going to the big farm style sink and washing his hands. He grabbed a paper towel from the holder nearby to dry them and tossed it into the can next to the back door.

“I wasn’t expecting to find you over here.” Pulling out his chair, he dropped into it and watched as she moved around, making a plate for him.

“Yeah, well, shit happens. Taci’s been sick, leaving Summit alone to care for her. He still has to work, so he can’t always be here. We tried having an in-home caretaker, but that wasn’t working. People are weird for no damn reason,” she complained, stacking his plate accordingly before walking it over to him.

Eazy reached for the fork that his sister also provided and prepared to dive in.

“Aht, bless the food, fool!”

Scoffing, Eazy shook his head, thinking he was just going to disregard her when a hand fell on her hip, and she shot a chastising glare his way. Closing his eyes, he said a quick prayer before peering up at her, hoping she was satisfied. Essence smiled and slid into a chair across from him. She propped her chin in her hand and rested an elbow against the tabletop. Starving from the long drive, Eazy dug into his food, barely taking time to chew while his sister studied him through narrowed eyes.

“So, you really came back here because of a job? Like a legit one?” she questioned. “And don’t lie. You know I know you about as well as anybody.”

“It’s business, and none of yours,” he pointed out, giving his attention back to his food.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here.” She perked up, and he lifted a brow.